Street or other sign.



no. 715,766. v Patented Dec. 3,1902.

I E. F DREMAN. STREET OR OTHER SIGN.

i pplivation filed-Iune 7, 1902.)

2 Sheat -Sheet I.

(No Model.)

mi; 75766. Patented Dec. "3,1902.

E. F. DBEMAN. stain on OTHER SIGN.

Application filed June 7, 1902.) (No-Model.) 2 Sheets-Shut 2.

Am? mm.

' g w WW -4m THE norms PETERS co PHOTO-LH'NOWWIASNINGTON n c UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

EDWARD F. DREMAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

STREET OR DTHE R SIGN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,766, dated December 16, 1902.

Application filed June 7, 1902. Serial No. 110 617. (N0 model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD F. DREMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements in Street or other Signs; and I do declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to street and other signs; and the invention consists in the construction of a sign in which there is provided a self-illuminating surface and certain novel. details of construction and arrangement of parts both in the sign itself and in the means for supporting the same, all as hereinafter fully described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of a street-sign where two streets intersect and showing the same in a raised position on a suitable post. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the upper portion of the tubular post seen in Fig. l and of the fastening-plug therein with a portion of one of the arms for supporting the sign engaged in and by said parts after the manner of my invention. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the upper end of the post itself, and Fig. 4. is

a perspective view of the plug to engage as in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a cross-section on line 2 2, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional plan View of one of the signs or sign-sections on a line corresponding to y y, Fig. '7. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of one of the signs seen in Fig. l with a portion at the right sectioned away. Fig. 8 is a cross-section of the sign, taken on line w w, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a perspective elevation of the illuminating-plate which in use is introduced between the two street names or letters on each side; and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the letters or characters constructed to be used in this form of signs, all as hereinafter more fully described. Fig. 11 is a crosssection of a modification.

As thus shown, the invention is adapted more especially to be used for or in what are known as street-signs for indicating the name or number of the street, as the case may be, difierent systems being used for different cities for designating streets. Theinvention is in like manner and equally well adapted to be used for residences and the like to display the number of the residence or the name of the proprietor, or both, if desired, and it may be placed at any convenient point and upon a separate support, if preferred, or upon the residence itself at some place Where it will be easily seen. However, in the particular form of the invention shown herein it is adapted especially for street purposes.

As thus shown, A represents a tubular post or standard for the sign, and this is the best modern style of standard and is gradually coming into general favor and use. Sign B is supported from this post on two standards 0. The said sign, as shown, is double or adapted to two streets in this instance; but it might be single and adapted to one street alone, if preferred, and still be Within this description. Generally, however, itis double and the two sections thereof, one of which is marked Henry street and the other Edward street, are alike in every detail of construction and are shown as connected in the angle in which they meet by a right-angled flange b on one section having the other section bolted thereto. One of these sections is shown in Figs. 6 and 7v and a cross-section thereof in Fig. 8.

Each section B is constructed, primarily and preferably, with a skeleton cast-metal frame of suitable length and width and provided with overhanging flanges 2 at its top, which serve at least as a partial roof or covering to the sign, and with three internal channels or guideways 3 and 4, respectively. The central or middle channel or guideway 3 above and below serve to receive the illuminating-plate D, which enters said channels as a slide through the open end of frame B and fills the entire space across the otherwise open portion of the said frame, as clearly indicated in Fig. 8. At either side of the channels or guides for this plate there are other channels or guides 4, top and bottom, for the characters E, which in the case of a name, as here shown, are independent letters adapted to slide into their places from the open end of frame B in the said channels or guideways 4, and a short bolt or pin 5 through slide D, across the path of the characters E in frame B, confines such plate with said characters in their working position. The guideways for the letters E are continuous, while the guideway beneath for plate D is broken and provided with bridges d here and there to provide drainage and avoid accumulations of moisture. Of course characters E lie flat against plate D whether used on one or both sides thereof.

It will be observed that frame B is a wideopen or skeleton frame, except along its edges and ends, and that a double set of street-indicating characters is used in each section of the sign for each street on each side of selfillutninating plate D, so that whichever direction one approaches the sign he is able to read the name or title of the street as he comes to it.

The illuminating-plate D is made self-illuminating by a coating or covering of a certain kind of paint having something like phosphorescent effect, and while it shows white in daylight, thus causing the characters E to stand out conspicuously, when the night falls and darkness comes upon the sign it becomes self-illuminating and takes on a bright and rather light purple hue, so that again it discloses the dark characters quite as clearly as in daylight. This manifestly is a very great advantage in street-signs, and particularly in towns and cities where street illumination itself is imperfect and signs as they are ordinarily found are difficult and sometimes impossible of interpretation.

A further feature of novelty is found in the construction and arrangement of parts whereby the sign is supported from post A. For this I employ two metallic arms or standards 0, one for each sign or sign-section, as already indicated, and these are secured at their upper extremities to or upon depending lugs 7 on the frame B and have their lower ends 0 bent at 10 to form a shoulder to be engaged in the notches 8 on the top of the post and from whence their extremities 0 extend down within the post and are secured by the plug G. Said plug has parallel grooves 9 for the extremities c, and when the plug is driven in it engages said ends a and locks them firmly in position.

The plug or cap G has two diameters, preferably, the upper of which overhangs the top edge of post A and rests thereon, while the smaller diameter, having the grooves 9, enters some distance into the post, and thus it serves as a kind of wedge or fastening for the arms a, which are thus driven against the side of tube A. In this way the sign is securely fastened in the post and is also made readily removable when occasion requires. The notches 8 prevent extremities c from turning in grooves 9.

In Fig. 11 section B is shown as having removable clamping sides J for the letters, which, with separate thin metal strips K, form the internal channels 3 and 4 when all said parts are bolted together.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. A street-sign and like article, consisting of a skeleton frame, in combination with a removable self-illuminating plate centrally in said frame and a series of separate characters disposed upon one side of said plate and having their upper and lower edges engaged within the edge of said frame, substantially as described.

2. A sign for streets and other uses, consisting of a skeleton frame having a central guideway lengthwise from end to end and guideways at the side thereof, top and bottom, in combination with a self-illuminating plate in said central guideway and sign characters in said guideways, substantially as described.

3. In street-signs, a tubular post having a set of notches in its top, in combination with a street-sign, a set of supporting-arms therefor shouldered at said notches and projecting into said post, and a plug securing said arms in said post, substantially as described.

4. The tubular post having a set of notches in its top, in combination with a street-sign and a set of supporting-arms therefor engaged in said notches and straight extremities within said post, and a plug having grooves engaging said extremities and locking said arms in said post, substantially as described.

5. In street-signs and the like, a tubular post open at its top, in combination with a plug constructed to be seated in the top of said post and provided with a series of grooves lengthwise in its lower portion, substantially as described.

WVitness my hand to the foregoing specification this 29th day of April, 1902.

\ EDWARD F. DREMAN.

Witnesses:

R. B. MosER, T. M. MADDEN. 

